TRANSACTIONS OF THE LINNAEAN SOCIETY OF NEW YORK Volume VI Studies in the Life History of the Song Sparrow II The Behavior of the Song Sparrow and Other Passerines By Margaret Morse Nice New York September 1943 Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google 4M PROCLAIMS OWNERSHIP >*n of Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google TRANSACTIONS OF THE LINNAEAN SOCIETY OF NEW YORK Volume VI * Studies in the Life History of the Song Sparrow II The Behavior of the Song Sparrow and Other Passerines By Margaret Morse Nice New York September 1943 Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google To my Husband Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google I i , f W . TABLE OF CONTENTS * O ' o PMe. FOREWORD - - - 1 •0 CHAPTER I "^BIRD BEHAVIOR 4 A. The Observations of Others. , B. The Status of Birds in Comparison with Other Animals. C. Innate and Learned Behavior. D. Releasers, Signals, and the "Companion". ,J E. Summary. CHAPTER II ;, DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUNG SONG SPARROW 12 A. The Subjects of Study —Table I. B. The Five Stages of Development. C. The First Stage : Coordinations Mainly Concerned with Nutrition. D. The Second Stage: First Appearance of New Motor Coordinations. E. The Third Stage : Rapid Acquisition of Motor Coordinations : 1. Seven Days. 2. Eight Days. 3. 'Nine Days. F. The Fourth Stage : The First Week Out of the Nest : 1. Leaving the Nest —Table II. 2. Feeding Reactions : a. Behavior toward the parent-companion. b. Independent feeding reactions. 3. Flight. 4. Bathing Reactions. 5. Escape Reactions. 6. Vocalizations. G. The Fifth Stage: From Flight to Independence: 1. Feeding Reactions: a. Behavior toward the parent-companion. b. Independent feeding reactions. 2. Bathing Reactions. 3. Sunning. 4. Frolicking. 5. Escape Reactions. 6. Social Behavior. 7. Vocalizations. H. Summary— Table III. CHAPTER III DISCUSSION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE YOUNG BIRD -- 35 A. Activities Concerned with Nutrition: 1. Behavior toward the Parent-companion: a. Gaping, b. Wing fluttering, c. Bowing, d. Food notes. 2. Independent Feeding Reactions. a. Wiping the bill. b. Exploratory pecking, c. Picking up food. d. Preying reactions, e. Drinking, f. Re action to seeds, g. Scratching the ground. 3. Defecation. B. Care of Plumage and Other Bodily Movements in Situ, Not Concerned with Nutrition: Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google ii 1. Preening. 2. Yawning. 3. Stretching. 4. Scratching the Head. 5. Shaking. 6. Sleeping in the Adult Position. 7. Tail and Crest Movements. 8. Bathing Reactions. 9. Sunning. C. Locomotion : 1. In the Nest. 2. Leaving the Nest. 3. Hopping, Walking, Running. 4. Flight: a. Wing fanning, b. Flight, c. Landing. 5. Frolicking. D. Escape Reactions : 1. Age at Which "Fear" Appears. E. Social Behavior: 1. Social Bond. 2. Fighting Reactions. F. Vocalizations : 1. Food 'Notes. 2. Location Notes. 3. Fear Notes. 4. Threat Note. 5. Self-assertion. 6. Song. G. Maturation of Activities in the Young Passerine —Table IV. H. Summary. CHAPTER IV" INNATE AND LEARNED BEHAVIOR IN THE YOUNG BIRD - 60 A. Instinctive Activities. B. Conditioned Actions : 1. Responses to Food. 2. Responses to Water. 3. Orientation in Space. 4. Choice of Social-Companions. 5. Escape Reactions. 6. Song. C. The Matter of Play. D. Summary. Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google iii CHAPTER V THE COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT IN PASSERINE BIRDS - - 69 A. The Age of Fledging and Independence in Passerines —Table V. 1. Relative Size of the Newly-hatched Nestling. B. The Five Stages of Development in Passerines. C. Summary. CHAPTER VI THE YOUNG BIRD AFTER INDEPENDENCE 75 A. The Postjuvenal Molt. B. Fall Migration. C. Premature Appearance of Breeding Behavior : 1. Attempted Copulation. 2. Nest Building. 3. Caring for Young. D. "Anting". E. Summary. CHAPTER VII SONG SPARROW SOCIETY IN FALL AND WINTER - - - - 82 A. Reactions of Song Sparrows to Other Birds —Table VI. B. Social Integration: 1. Mechanisms for Group Integration: a. Suggestion, b. Following reactions, c. Responses to 'warning'. d. Responses to disappearance of the social-companion, e. Social attack. C. Social Dominance : 1. Social Dominance in the Song Sparrow. 2. Social Dominance in Other Birds and Other Animals. D. Value of Social Integration. E. Summary. CHAPTER VIII AWAKENING AND ROOSTING - - 99 A. Awakening with the Song Sparrow : 1. Twilight— Table VII. 2. Time of Arising of the Female Song Sparrow. 3. The Awakening Song Throughout the Year— Tables VIII, IX. B. Roosting with the Song Sparrow —Table X. C. Awakening and Roosting with Other Species : 1. Each Species Has Its Own "Waking Light." 2. Awakening and Roosting in Relation to Time of Year. 3. The Situation in the Far North. 4. Awakening of Night Birds. 5. Awakening and Roosting in Relation to Sex. D. Effect of Environmental Factors on Awakening and Roosting: 1. Light. 2. Temperature. 3. Humidity. 4. Wind. E. Summary. Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google iv CHAPTER IX SONG OF THE ADULT MALE SONG SPARROW ------ 115 A. Character of the Song: 1. Form of the Song. 2. Number of Different Songs in a Repertoire. 3. The Awakening Song. 4. Flight Songs. B. Relation of Song to Temperature. C. How Much Does a Song Sparrow Sing ? : 1. The Amount Sung at Different Stages— Table XI. 2. Different Degrees of Stimulation— Table XII. 3. The Song Series— Table XIII. 4. The All Day Record of 4M. 5. The Different Songs of 4M and 1M— Table XIV. D. Fall Singing. E. Summary. CHAPTER X SONG IN FEMALE BIRDS -- - - 127 A. Song of the Female Song Sparrow. B. Discussion of Song in Female Birds : 1. The Evolution of Song in Female Birds—Table XV. 2. The Function of Song in Female Birds. C. Summary. CHAPTER XI DEVELOPMENT, INHERITANCE AND FUNCTION OF SONG - 133 A. The Five Stages of Development of Song Sparrow Song: 1. Observations on Wild Birds: a. The progress of seven residents banded in the nest — Table XVI. b. Song development in some other Song Sparrows — Table XVII. c. Territory situations and song in juvenile birds. 2. Development of Song in the Hand-raised Song Sparrows — Table XVIII. B. Inheritance of Song in the Song Sparrow : 1. Do Song Sparrows Sing Like Their Fathers and Grandfathers? 2. How Much Do Song Sparrows Imitate Each Other? 3. The Case of the Hand-raised Birds. C. Juvenile Songs of Other Species : 1. The Age at Which Young Birds Start to Sing. 2. The Character of the Song of Young Birds. D. Inheritance and Imitation in Other Species. E. The Evolutionary Trend. F. A Definition of Song. G. Function of Song in the Song Sparrow. H. Some Theories as to the Function of Song in Birds : Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google 1. Early Theories. 2. Advertising Song. 3. Song as a Signal. 4. Song as an Emotional Outlet. I. The Function of Song in Birds. J. Summary. CHAPTER XII ' THE MALE AND HIS TERRITORY - - 151 A. Requirements of Territories. B. Behavior of the Male on His Territory: 1. Defense of Territory. 2. A Summary of Song Sparrow Methods of Intimidation —Table XIX. C. Faithfulness to Territory. D. Relations of Song Sparrows to Other Passerines. E. Summary. CHAPTER XIII THE FUNCTION OF TERRITORY - - - 162 A. Historical Sketch. B. Types of Territory. C. The Problems of Territorial and Sexual Fighting. D. The Female and Territory. E. The Bases and Functions of Territory. F. Summary. CHAPTER XIV THE MALE AND HIS MATE - - - - 170 A. The Course of the Nesting Cycle— Tables XX and XXI. B. Prenuptial Stage : 1. The Cessation of Song. 2. Pouncing. 3. The Female's Notes : a. The Trill, b. The Chatter, c. The Song 4. Behavior of Y and D towards J and A. C. Preliminary Stage : 1. Coition. 2. Symbolic Building. D. Summary. CHAPTER XV RELATIONS OF THE PAIR TO EACH OTHER AND THEIR NEIGHBORS - - - -- - 180 A. The Bond Between the Pair : 1. How Permanent Is the Bond? B. Relations of the Pair to Their Neighbors : 1. The Male and Other Males. 2. The Male and Females Not His Mate. 3. The Female and Other Females. 4. The Female and Males Not Her Mate. C. Summary. Generated for member (Columbia University) on 2015-12-16 05:50 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006891488 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google vi CHAPTER XVI THE PROBLEM OF PAIR FORMATION 192 A. Lorenz's Views on Pair Formation. B. Sexual Ambivalence. C. The Question of Dominance. D. Tinbergen's First and Second Reactions —Table XXII. E. Personal Recognition of the Mate. F. Promiscuous Tendencies in Monogamous Species. G. Sex Recognition at Copulation.